My Beautiful Bow: An Adoption Story [Paperback]

Lauren Goldman Marshall (Author), Hannah Marschell (Illustrator)

Book Description

The red ribbons of a little girl's sash become imaginary ties to her birth mother and her adoptive mother, in this children's picture book, aimed at ages 4-8. Abby wonders if she came from her mother's belly, like her older sister. When a casual comment at the breakfast table prompts questions, Abby learns how the birth mother who carried her in her belly and the forever mommy who carries her on her hip have helped to make her who she is. "Your birth mother gave you a lovely singing voice," her Mommy tells her. "I give you songs to sing." Although the little girl in the book is from China, her story is relevant to all adopted children, whether adopted domestically or internationally. Illustrations by the sister of the protagonist offer a fresh child's perspective and provide a compelling back-story, underscoring the theme that love is what makes a family.

"I'll be so glad to have this as a teaching and supporting tool. I really want [my daughter] to be able to think about her birth parents and their role in her life. This book is perfect and, honestly, the only thing I've seen on this topic for young kids."  Nancy Cohen, Ph.D., adoptive mother and child psychologist

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lauren Goldman Marshall has written a number of produced plays and musicals, including the long-running Seattle revue, Waiter, There's a Slug in My Latté; Abraham's Land; Rivercide, P.I.; The 100th Eye; Whadda 'Bout My Legal Rights?; Finding Pluie; and an award-winning contemporary adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope.   She lives in Seattle with her husband Michael Schell and their daughters Hannah and Abigail, who is adopted from China.    

Hannah Loowit Marschell illustrated this book when she was in first grade as a gift for her sister. To ready the book for publication, she added several new drawings and revised some others when she was in third grade. She attends Spruce Street School in Seattle.    Her artwork has been published in Highlights. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 36 pages
• Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC (January 28, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1608443957
• ISBN-13: 978-1608443956
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 11 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,286,696 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Lauren Goldman Marshall lives in Seattle with her husband Michael Schell and their daughters Hannah and Abigail. Lauren is the author of a number of produced plays, including the long-running Seattle musical revue, Waiter, There's a Slug in My Latté; Abraham's Land; Rivercide, P.I.; The 100th Eye; Whadda 'Bout My Legal Rights?; Finding Pluie; and an award-winning contemporary adaptation of Molière's The Misanthrope. Besides writing, she enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the great outdoors.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars essential part of your library, February 28, 2010

By 

SinoSeattle (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Beautiful Bow: An Adoption Story (Paperback)

My daughter and I have enjoyed reading My Beautiful Bow many times. Unlike many other books about adoptive families, this one effectively engages kids, using language and situations to which they can relate (some books favor more abstract concepts that are difficult for little ones to grasp). As an adoptive parent, I also appreciate that the story involves both mothers, seamlessly weaving the presence of Abby's birth mother and her mom, as the narrator, into the story. It offers a realistic and occasionally humorous take on whether nature or nurture can take credit for a child's appearance and personality. Basically, I love that it says what we want to communicate to our daughter in a fun and engaging story--that she is the beautiful product of two sets of parents (and, more globally, two cultures).

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Beautiful Bow, February 27, 2010

By 

Marcia L. Sanders (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: My Beautiful Bow: An Adoption Story (Paperback)

My Beautiful Bow: An Adoption Story

When I first read My Beautiful Bow to my six-year-old adopted Chinese daughter she said that it was "Delicious!"
I said,"Delicious? What does 'delicious' mean?"
She said that it was so good that she just wanted to eat it all up.
My daughter asked me to read the book again for her bedtime story the next day.
The day after that she took the book with her to school and asked her teacher to read it aloud to the class. Clearly, the book resonated with her.
When she was three-years-old my daughter was around a family friend who was pregnant and then had a baby. My daughter, just as the main character of the book, had made a number of comments about wishing she'd been in my belly before she was born. She, just like the main character, would climb under my shirt and pretend I was pregnant with her.
My Beautiful Bow addresses the importance of both the birth mother and the adoptive mother; for instance, the little girl in the book learns that she got her lovely singing voice from her birth mother and songs to sing from her adoptive mother. This is a book that needed to be written.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Red Thread, March 26, 2010

By 

mydaughtermyheart - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Beautiful Bow: An Adoption Story (Paperback)

Having read many children's books related to adoption, I found this book in particular to resonate with my family. As with Abby, the younger sister in the story, my daughter was adopted from China, and this connection drew us in from the start. As an educational professional I am also looking for teaching value in a book. This is a great tool for use with extended family, friends, and especially our own adopted children. Nestled within each page is a message of love and the beautiful bonds within families formed by adoption, further evidenced by sister Hannah's sweet illustrations. Just as importantly, My Beautiful Bow speaks to the ties between adopted children and their birth mothers in China; hearts that may only know each other through an unseen magical or mysterious thread of connection. When I asked my daughter which parts she enjoyed most, she identified the humor that the sister in the story, Hannah, brought to the story. She also liked the red ribbon image and "cute" illustrations. This tells me that My Beautiful Bow is fun and engaging on many levels, and will appeal to a wider audience than just the China adoption community.